In Portugal, Rui Pinto has said he will leave for an undisclosed location after losing the police protection granted through the country’s witness-protection system. The Football Leaks founder says repeated death threats have left him fearing an attempt on his life.
Pinto announced the decision on Friday, saying the Portuguese commission overseeing witness protection informed him on Wednesday that his place in the programme would end. He said the notice arrived only hours after what he described as a verdict confirming Manchester City’s guilt over financial irregularities exposed through Football Leaks.
Quick facts
- Rui Pinto founded Football Leaks, which published documents concerning Manchester City and other football cases.
- He was arrested in 2019 and sentenced in 2023 to four years for unlawful access offences and attempted extortion.
- Pinto spent 13 months in prison before his sentence was suspended under a cooperation agreement with the authorities.
- That arrangement involved providing information and passwords, and led to protected accommodation and a new identity.
- He says the removal of police protection follows multiple death threats.
The Portuguese whistleblower said the withdrawal of protection had knowingly placed him in “mortal danger”. He said he had no option but to relocate within days and remain hidden for an unspecified period.
Pinto’s work through Football Leaks brought a large cache of football documents into public view, including material connected to Manchester City’s financial affairs. He has linked the club’s case to 114 charges which, he says, could result in an unprecedented punishment for the English side.
After his 2019 arrest, Pinto reached a cooperation deal with Portuguese justice officials. His four-year prison term was suspended after he supplied investigators with information and access credentials, while he entered a protection scheme that provided a secret residence and assumed identity.
He has now launched a GoFundMe appeal, asking for public support to help him deal with what he called a dangerous situation created by the Portuguese state. Pinto ended his statement by thanking those who continue to support Football Leaks and insisting that its fight will continue.
